


As A Bolt From The Blue

by esmelaksa



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk (2008), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Avengers, M/M, Soft Boys, a hell lot of ships, gay™, mentions of sexual themes, post Avengers 1, thorbruce, you can pretend endgame doesn’t exist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-02-15 16:09:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18673045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmelaksa/pseuds/esmelaksa
Summary: After years of hiding Bruce was manipulated by an intriguing redhead into a life of fighting, adrenaline, angst and unexpected self-discoveries.Who would have thought he would fall for a god?Post Avengers / Thorbruce





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Here’s the first chapter hope you like it!

The feeling of doubt.  
The only thing he felt way more than anger.  
It was self-destructive, tormenting. It was an omnipresence, leaning over his shoulder telling him he was not good enough.  
But yet, everything in his life reminded him that he was not enough, that he could do nothing but trouble and no matter how many times he tried to fix his mistakes he just made things way worse.

The feeling of not having control, that was the worst.  
Banner was a scientist, his mind extraordinary, he had to know everything, everytime.

Except he didn't: his big green alter ego was the proof of that.

That morning had been pretty stressful and frustrating, even little things were able to upset him, his temper worrying him a little.

Banner had realized pretty soon in his life what it meant to be scared, then years later he had discovered the worst thing, he believed, a person could ever feel: 

he was scared of himself.

 

xxx

 

There was one thing that helped Bruce's nerves calm down: coffee.

As much as he was aware that coffee was bad for his health, and that his addiction was pretty serious, he kept drinking it, hoping the placebo effect would make the dark caffeinated beverage feel more like a medicine.

He loved going to a small café on the corner of the street, and enjoyed the smell of coffee beans and the artsy, vintage almost, atmosphere.

Bruce sometimes wondered if he had missed this part of his life, art was never something he had enjoyed or ever discovered but it fullfilled his senses in a way not even coffee could.  
Of course, he knew, he could never be an artist; one thing he was sure of, he could either be a scientist or an artist, he could try to be both but he was sure it would end up horribly.

Yet, hadn’t it already ended up horribly?  
Maybe it was nature’s sign he wasn’t mean to be a genius.

Banner was sure he was smart and intelligent, but what if the reason that IQ tests couldn’t catch up with his intellect was that it was too broken and supposed to go to waste?  
He definitely felt like that: broken beyond repair and ready for the trash bin.  
He had tried to find peace after what had happened to him, or actually, what he had done to himself.  
And he had achieved peace, at least for a while he was not happy, but certainly content.

Helping others was Bruce’s nature.  
The kids he used to help survive in their first years of life, the mothers whom he had assisted through birth, the fathers who had hurt themselves working too many hours a day just to sustain their families were his only priority.

That was before his new _job_ , at least.

A redhead had come in his life and devastated everything, with her smirk and her charm she had manipulated him to do something he had never thought of doing, at least purposely, and that was releasing the Hulk.

He felt his phone vibrate and looking at the ID he smiled a little.

_Speaking of the devil._

“Natasha.”

“Bruce, hi.” her voice sounded the same as always so she was not in trouble, the scientist decided.

“Hi, yeah, did you need something?”

“Besides hearing your voice and making sure you’re still alive?” Her demanding and annoyed voice made him shiver a little.

“Nat-”

“No Bruce I don’t wanna hear it, it’s been weeks since I’ve last heard from you!”

“I’m sorry I was trying to process some stuff.” 

“Don’t lie to me.”

Bruce laughed. “Please Natasha you cannot be serious right now. You are telling _me_ to stop lying?”

“Tony called.”

Bruce stayed silent.

“He wants us all back at Stark Tower tomorrow at noon, do you need a lift?” 

“No I’ll be there.”

“Ok then I will see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

Bruce looked up and admired the sky, a couple or stars where showing through the lights and smog of New York city.  
Boredom and angst threatening of taking control of him, he decided to call the only friend he had who didn't care about his job, or actually, his only friend at all.  
Her name was Selena and she runned his favorite place ever, the small vintage cafè with a bronze aesthetic and good 80s music.

Yes, he decided, he deserved some peace.

 

xxx

 

Selena was blonde and tall and he wouldn't necessarly have called her thin: she was curvy and prosperous, though she had a small chest and big hips her body still looked perfectly balanced and Bruce, as a scientist, knew symmetry when he saw one.

She was completely different from Natasha.

Natasha was fierce in her walking, her attitude reminded him more of a panther than a widow.  
She was such a mistery to him, but he still had time to know her better.  
The question was: did he want to know her more?  
Literally everything she had done was manipulate him, and he still had fallen for the trick.

_Pretty dumb for a genius, huh._

He definitely didn’t like her but he couldn’t say he wasn’t somehow charmed by her.

Selena on the other hand was beautiful but sweet as well, she always had a good word for everyone of her friends, yet she was capable of being witty and snarky as well.

Bruce wished he could love her, he really did, but he saw her as a sister more than a lover and that pained his heart deeply.

What hurt him the most, as ironic as it sounded was that she liked him.

Bruce would have never guessed it, her attitude always seemed sisterly to him, but he was proved wrong one day, when they had had one too many drinks.

 

xxx

 

That night Bruce had just came back from a mission, he was tired and in that moment, there was no better option than to spend his night at his friend’s bar, or so he had thought.

He was greeted by a crushing hug and his friend shedding tears.

_“Oh my God, Bruce, I thought I would never see you again.”_

Selena knew everything about him, every little aspect of his personality and life she was aware of; maybe that was why he thought she wouldn’t have never liked him.

_“I missed you.”_

Bruce’s heart warmed remembering the moment.

He had sat down and talked to her as they celebrated his return safe and sound.

One too many glasses later he had called a cab and what happened next was all just a haze.

_“Bruce I have to tell you something.”_

_“You can always tell me anything.”_

What he had heard though, was not what he expected.

Instead of words he was met with the sound of fast heartbeats and moaning.

What he remembered was Selena kissing him and him falling into her arms, letting himself go completely.

He recalled her soft breasts and her quick hands and her screams and moans and that, as much as he wanted to deny it, still provoked a certain feeling in his body.

He recalled the alcohol and the laughs and the silence that followed that tortuous night.

Bruce died at the thought of her hands on him again, he craved to be touched, but he was aware he couldn’t ask her that, it wasn’t fair.

_“Bruce, I love you. I know you don’t but I just- I needed to say it.”_

_“Oh God it feels so good to say it, it’s like my heart was about to burst in a second.”_

Her words still pained him, how could he have alleviated her pain and her heartbreak? 

Only one thought he was sure of: sleeping with her wasn’t the right choice.

Bruce had felt very guilty a lot of times, but it was nothing compared to what he would feel the morning after.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, school was in the way.  
> Hope you like this one.  
> Also, I'm so excited about Thor 4!

Bruce felt slightly lightheaded the next morning, he desperately needed some coffee.  
He made his way back to Selena's cafè, admiring on his way the small flowers that had just bloomed.

He had woken up very early, actually, he hadn't slept at all.  
Something was bothering him, but he couldn't put a name on it.

Meeting his friend was very nerve-racking, after what happened that night, at least.  
Bruce somehow got to the cafè without collapsing, and when he opened the doors he almost regretted his decision. 

"Bruce, hi."  
Sat with Selena at the counter was none other than Natasha.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you, I came to see you and take you to Stark. He needs us."

"I am not a baby you know, I can manage myself."

"Bruce, did even get any sleep last night?" Selena asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I- No well I haven't."

"Come sit down I'll make you some tea so you can sleep your way to wherever you're going."  
Bruce groaned, he really didn't want to go.

"Thank you, Selena."

The redhead looked straight at Bruce, "you two... wow."

"What, no! You got it wrong. It's not like that."

"So you've rejected her, pour soul, I definitely can relate."

"Natasha."

"Bruce. It's okay, I get it, you're not ready for anyone, let alone a Russian spy assassin."

He opened his mouth to reply when he was met with laughter.

"Chill Doc, I'm just messing with you."

Her joking tone annoyed him to no end. She loved to make him mad, she loved playing with fire.  
That was probably one of the things that had bothered him the most about the redhead; he really didn't like when people messed with him.  


But Natasha wasn't evil, he knew that they were just a bit too different and Bruce had never understood why she was attracted to him in the first place.

_"Why not Steve?"  
"He's not as hot when he is angry, Bruce."_

xxx 

On the drive to Stark Tower they chatted a bit, small talk usually annoyed him but this time it was well welcomed, instead of their usual bickering, they were talking like two normal adults.  
Not that they were in any way shape or form normal or acted like adults around each other, they resembled hormone-driven teenagers more. 

He liked Natasha as a friend, he was kind of sad and mad that they couldn't be decent around each other most of the time.  
But they had time to bond, he hoped, to grow and maybe get closer and form any sort of friendship.

Until they'd all end up dead in a mission.

Speaking of which, what did Tony want anyway? 

If it wasn't that he had got attached to the billionaire he would have gladly said no, but if Tony wanted to meet them, then it had to be something important.  
Tony was the kind of person you'd classify as an asshole until you really got to know him, then you'd call him a huge asshole.

Bruce had become friends with him anyway, he was perhaps one of the only ones who truly didn't care about his _other side._  
Yes, he did make jokes about it but he quickly learned that it was Tony's way of bantering.  
Jokes and nicknames.

He was very glad at least someone treated him like a normal person sometimes.

Not even Steve did, as much as the captain had tried to be nice to him, he somehow clicked with Tony best.

What he had not expected had been the friendship of someone else, a blond god who drank way too much beer for his own good.

Thor was somehow a nice friend as well, he didn't really care about the people Bruce had hurt or killed. Or that his skin turned green.  
When Tony had told him it wasn't his fault, Thor had added, jokingly, "even if it was, I think I've probably killed more this one-week last year."  
Then he proceeded to tell a story that somehow seemed plausible, but as much as Bruce knew it was fake, he still appreciated the Asgardian.  


They both somehow supported him, they believed in him and Bruce was proud; he had actually made some friends.

The scientist had bonded with Tony over technology, biology and gamma rays, while he had bonded with Thor over bad puns, similar trauma, and general niceness and curiosity over the other's life and world.  
The two sides of his personality incarnated, except, Bruce thought, in two much more handsome and good looking bodies.

Bruce was too smart to deny that both of them, though one way more than the other, were physically very attractive.

With everyone else, Tony was eccentric, smart, passionate, but he was also masking his true self with egoism and offensive jokes and, he learned from his stories, a playboy attitude or so he had been, before meeting Pepper.  
The two of them were the cutest pair, Bruce thought, they looked perfect for each other and if he had ever believed in an afterlife, he'd say they were a match made in heaven. 

With him, Tony resembled more a partner in crime sort of vibe, a best friend who you could be mischievous with, who you could tell secrets to and laugh about each other failures without feeling judged.

Thor in the meantime was compassionate, truly nice, his eyes gave everything away, he couldn't keep a secret even if he wanted to.  
And yes, maybe he wasn't that particularly smart, but no one is perfect, even though the admiration in Bruce's eyes told him Thor was quite close to such perfection.  
His lovely heart did make up for everything else.

That was how he acted with everyone, especially his friends, who could see under that godlike attitude and the smug smirk he carried sometimes.  
Thor was a prince, of course he was going to act all high and mighty, except that his façade fell whenever he was with Bruce, but the scientist, as much as he was smart in the science field, was also very obvious and hopeless when it came to human relations.

Bruce loved being with his friends, but he wasn't yet accustomed to the company; he had been alone for so many years, finding people who cared for him was the best gift that life had given him yet.  
Better than his brain, better than his knowledge and apparent _gift._

A gift he'd have gladly given up a long time ago if he had had the chance to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this in the worst possible scenario, I was drugged on a plane after an internalized panic attack, sorry if it's sloppy, or angsty, it's the drugs' fault.
> 
> Hope you like it!

Bruce felt somehow sick, nausea came very easily to him, but this time it was severe.  
He was also very nervous; what catastrophe would await them?

Nervousness was a daily routine for Bruce, along with a couple of other things he didn't like remembering.  
To add on top of that, air conditioning and noise had given him a pounding migraine that threatened his tranquility even more.  
Feeling sick didn't help with his nerves.

"We’re here."

Bruce was still in Natasha's car, the view of Stark tower, the Avengers tower, was impending over them.

"Hey", he felt a hand on his, "you'll be fine, they're not mad."

Bruce found the strength to nod only before getting out of the car.

 

xxx

 

"Banner!"  
Bruce was greeted with a familiar voice.

"Didn't expect you to grace us with your presence."

"Oh shut it, you big-headed bastard." Bruce couldn't hide his smile through his inoffensive offense.

Hugs were definitely his thing, only with people he fully trusted, of course, PTSD didn't allow anything else.  
But hugs were not made for Tony Stark, he wasn't a hugging person, he hated physical contact, yet, there they were.

Hugging.

"It's been way too long angry man."

"I-I know, it's just that-"

"It's hard for you I know, you didn't want to take him out for a walk, but you did save so many people."

"Maybe we should talk about it another time, Tony." Just as these words left his mouth Steve greeted them both.

"Bruce! It's so nice to see you here. Stark."  
Tony didn't even bother to reply.

"Did something happen between them?", Bruce asked Natasha, who was just as clueless, clearly feeling the tension between the two men in front of him, before sipping on his water bottle.

"Yeah, you two, did your condom break or something?" 

Bruce's water left his mouth. He turned around to see who had almost choked him to death.

"Sure, _Pointbreak._ That's exactly what happened."  
The Asgardian had just entered the room.

"Banner! It's good to see you back!" 

"Yeah, hi." Bruce never knew how to greet him, was he supposed to hug him? Shake his hand?  
Was it even normal being so nervous around friends? 

Thankfully Thor had always seemed to understand him, to somehow read his mind; he approached the scientist first and wrapped one arm around his side and brought him closer, jokingly playing with his hair.

"How have you been? Has the big guy been behaving?" 

Before Bruce could answer he was interrupted. "Ok husbands, you can continue that later, Stark why did you call us?" 

"Getting jealous Romanoff?", the Russian rolled her eyes, "anyway, I called you because Nick Fury keeps annoying me and stressing me out, he has a mission but somehow it isn't important enough for his lazy ass."

"What did he say?" Steve asked.

"He said 'you can handle this', well I hate being handed things and this is not an exception, so let's just get this over with."  
Tony started explaining with the aid of his technology," a vibranium site has been found in Italy, we don't know how it got there, if it's in good or bad hands, if it's been discovered yet, but apparently, S.H.I.E.L.D. has a sort of radar."

"Isn't there someone in Wakanda who can take care of this?" Nat asked.

"Apparently busy, yeah, we weren't even the first choice. You guys feel offended? I definitely do."

Bruce chuckled, "not really. I would _never_ guess why Fury wouldn't send a dysfunctional group of weird-ass adults overseas. Clearly not."

"You know what, Banner? I missed your sense of humor. The star-spangled man here definitely can't take a joke."

"Hey, that's not true!"

"Quit it, kids", Natasha turned to Tony, "is it really necessary for everyone to go?"

"Fury says it is, there's something like a mafia alert I believe."

"Since when do you trust Fury?" Nat asked.

"I don't. That's why I think we should go, he was being strange, I believe there's something big he's not telling us."

"What a shocker." Steve said.

"So when are we leaving, Tony?" Bruce asked.

"Tomorrow morning, all you guys have guest rooms for tonight. See you tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"I have a date, I don't know how long it will take us to find that site so I'm taking my woman out, and it's also to get rid of all of you. Ok, let's be real it's mostly to get rid of all of you. Goodnight Avengers."

Steve and Natasha rolled their eyes as the billionaire left, while Bruce and his Asgardian friend were left wondering "Natasha, where's Clint?"

"Oh yeah, he has had some issues."

"Is he fine?" 

"Yeah, of course, don't worry, just family stuff."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at the term family, he didn't have one, no one had one besides Stark who had Pepper, so what was Nat talking about?  
The thought of any one of them having any family was pretty weird.

Though Bruce almost smiled thinking that one day they could all find a happy ever after, but he didn't, because he knew it was almost impossible.

Steve was still in love with his girlfriend from the past.

Tony had a girlfriend but as much as he loved her, having babies at the moment was out of the question, as he himself had said.

Natasha had no clear intentions and wasn't seeing anyone.

Clint had never talked about family or girlfriends ever but perhaps he had one since he had bailed the new mission.

That left Thor. He had had a girlfriend, didn't he? Yes. Jane was her name. He remembered the hours Thor had spent talking about her and complain but then flutter his lashes thinking of her.

_Ah, love._

Bruce recalled being in love once, of course, it hadn’t worked out.  
The scientists thought love simply was not for him, he had tried his best to fall in love twice after that one time, it never worked.

Love was not for Banner and Banner was too broken to even try anymore.

He had come to term with the idea he’d die alone, he didn’t even mind it that much, anymore.

He had a job he was dedicated to and he would get back as soon as Fury would leave them all alone.  
He wanted to help people and he thought that maybe he would better as a doctor, in the battlefields, curing those left alone by gods and humans.

He couldn’t get hurt, could he? 

_So why should I be selfish?_

He stepped in the giant room Stark had assigned him, accompanied by a note.

_“The biggest room for my biggest friend. I’m sorry it’s not green though.”_

Bruce chuckled loudly and undressed, he stepped in the bed in front of him and stared at the ceiling, he had forgotten his meds, falling asleep would be an adventure.

The scientists went back on his train of thought from minutes before and asked himself again: __

_Is it even acceptable for me to be selfish anymore?  
No. _

So he decided before drifting off to sleep, after way too many hours awake, that would be his last mission as an Avenger.

He was needed somewhere else.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note about the last chapter: I know Bruce doesn’t know what Wakanda is until Age of Ultron but I never bought it.
> 
> Hope you like this chapter, I let somethings unsaid and purposely hazy and dreamlike.
> 
> Magical things happen at 4am after all.

Bruce woke up in the middle of the night after only a couple of hours of sleep.  
He felt someone outside his room.  
Not feeling like going back to sleep Bruce gave in to his curiosity needs.

“Oh hi. Did I wake you up? Sorry.” Bruce found an Asgardian outside of his room, sitting on the floor cross legged.

“Don’t worry Thor, did you have trouble sleeping?” 

“I have a recurring dream about- actually nevermind, why are you up?”

“Why don’t you want to tell me?”

“I can’t, I’m scared if I say it out loud it will happen.”  
Thor looked like a small puppy, curled up in a corner.

“Then don’t. Tell me, can I make you feel better in any way?”

Bruce felt like the night tempted his words, it gave him a sort of new option, the option to be himself boundless, not worrying about the consequences or the meaning of his words.

“Yeah actually, you can.”

Thor stared at the scientist for a while before adding: “sit here, with me. I need you.”

Bruce felt like a teenager all over again, his heart skipping a beat as he looked in bright blue eyes that had never looked so intimidating and intimidated at the same time.

He was so vulnerable under his friend’s gaze, and yet his friend was there, begging for help.

Vulnerable, yet so tempting.

Bruce was disgusted with himself; his friend needed him.

He sat next to him and he felt Thor lay on his shoulder.

“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me about your dream?”

Thor just hummed and Bruce felt him shaking his head on his shoulder.

“Why are you up? Bad dream?”

“Insomnia. I forgot my meds.”

“You take sleeping meds?”

Bruce looked at him carefully not moving his shoulder too much, a small amused smirk on his face, “you really thought I wouldn’t?”

“Nah, you’re right. I’m sorry though.”

“It’s okay I won’t die because of a sleepless night.”

“Actually I meant- nevermind.”

“Are you Thor: the god of half sentences and suspense?”

The Asgardian chuckled a bit, “I’m sorry you have to go through this; the anxiety you have to live with.”

“Not your fault.”

“Not yours either.”

Thor always knew what to say. Somehow he was always hitting a key point in each conversation they had.  
It didn’t matter if Bruce agreed, he was impressed.

“Actually it is, as much as you’re being nice, all of this happened because I wanted to be something to be proud of.”

Bruce felt Thor leave his current position and sit up, he mentally slapped himself for ruining the candid moment.

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t really wanna talk about it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you about your dream?”

“Ok let’s make a deal: when I’ll tell you about my dream you tell me about this. Deal?”  
Thor offered his hand.

“Deal.” Bruce shook his hand.

 

xxx

 

Instead of going back to sleep Thor offered Bruce a cup of tea.

“Black tea is my favorite.” 

“I didn’t know you were a tea person.”

“Coffee is too bitter, I already have my brother for that.”

Bruce chuckled but felt really bad afterwards. 

“Do you like it?”

“Hm?”

“The tea.“

“Oh yes, sorry.”

“You apologize too much, Bruce.”

The scientist looked up.  
_Bruce._

“I-, stopping himself for saying sorry he instead tried, “I know.”

“Not everything is black and white you know.” 

“I thought we said we wouldn’t talk about this now.”

“Sorry.” Thor sipped his tea then he immediately cringed at the unexpected bitterness.

“I thought you said you liked tea?” 

“I-“

“I figured it out when you said you didn’t like bitter things.”

“I thought tea was supposed to be sweet!”

Bruce laughed.

“I’m sorry I figured it would help you sleep.”

_Aww._  
_Wait-  
Is this what friendship is like?_

“Thank you. Thor... God of tea.”

Thor laughed and then sighed, “I don’t want to sound insensitive,” he paused, “but I’m glad you are here and just the way you are, no matter what happened.”

Bruce dared a small smile, “sometimes, sometimes I wish I wasn’t here at all, and I’m sorry if it’s impolite, what you said was lovely.”

Thor looked away.

“You do make it more tolerable, though.”

Thor looked at Bruce again and replied with the smallest voice, “I’m glad.”

“Hey”, Bruce put a hand on Thor’s shoulder, before sitting down on a kitchen chair, “I am glad I met you, I just wished everything was different.”

“You really want it to be different? You hate the Hulk so much?” 

“I can’t control him, what else am I supposed to feel?”

“Try to control him, I know it’s hard but there must be a way!”

“Tea doesn’t work for everybody.”

“You do you, Bruce.”

_Bruce._

“I appreciate you, I really do.”

“But?”

“No buts. I do.”

Thor smiled at him. “It pains me, to know that you hate this.” Thor gestured at the space around them.

“I don’t hate this, I hate _this_.” Bruce pointed to himself.

Thor got closer and closer and stood behind Bruce’s chair, he leaned in and hugged him from behind.

“You know, I really wish you didn’t.”

Bruce looked back at the Asgardian.

Thor started caressing Bruce’s hair and the scientist felt his breathing shaking up a little.

The Asgardian moved his hands and placed his head on Bruce’s his arms carefully around his neck.

It was a pretty sensitive spot for the scientist and Thor seemed to not notice it.

Because, instead of distancing himself, Thor tightened his grip around him.

The chair was the only thing dividing Bruce from madness.

Bruce shivered at the thought.  
A friend.  
Thor.

A friend should not make him feel this way.  
Thor should not make him feel this way.

Like he never wanted to let go.

And Bruce felt his stomach turn a little, his thoughts clearing up a bit and his common sense slowly reappearing after all the haze and fog that the moment and the night had carried.

He panicked when he felt his heart starting to accelerate.

_The big guy better behave._

_“Thor.”_ He breathed out.  
“I’m tired, maybe I should go to my room.”

Thor didn’t seem to notice a thing, not Bruce’s goosebumps not his shakey breath, not his heart pounding out of his chest.

Or maybe he did, but was too nice to say a thing.

Or maybe, just maybe, he was feeling the same thing and he was scared too of the unusual desire for closeness.

“Goodnight then, sleep well.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a long time, thorbruce week was in the way (you can check it out on my profile)!

The next morning Bruce felt like death.  
He hadn’t slept properly, had forgotten his meds and had spent the entirety of the time that followed his chat with Thor thinking about his friend.

His mind had been cloudy and his heart racing against a threat he is was not sure of; the Hulk had even threatened to come out, but why?

He wasn’t in danger, he wasn’t angry, he was fine.

Except he wasn’t really fine.

He was better than fine, he felt great.

The thought of him bonding with his friend was heartwarming and the feeling of someone cuddling him and caring was heartbreaking.

He had never felt that before, until now.

And yes, there were people that cared, Tony, Nat, even Steve.

They did care, just as much.

But he didn’t.

Bruce spent the night figuring out what was that made him care about the way Thor treated him more than anyone else and he slapped himself mentally because in all the haze he had forgotten someone that actually loved him.

_Selena._

The pang of guilt came as a tsunami to crush Bruce’s heart.

He suddenly felt like he was drowning. 

He tried to breathe properly but he wasn’t managing to.

He opened the window and tried again.

Loud and painful breaths came out of Bruce’s mouth, his hand was clenching his shirt.

A few seconds passed and Bruce heard someone knocking, he tried to recompose himself but miserably failed.

“Bruce come here, sit down, breathe.”

Three seconds later Bruce found himself on the bed, not really remembering how he got there.

_Tony?_

Bruce was grabbing his arms violently.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to.”

“Chill Bruce, just breathe, I don’t care. I just want you to breathe.”

Bruce felt gratitude calm down his nerves.

He had forgotten his meds at home.

Did he even have a home?

Thor came rushing in his room.

“Banner? Stark? Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll be fine now, thank you Tony.”

“Come on, Bruce, change your clothes and let’s get breakfast, you look like you desperately need it.”

“No really, don’t worry.”

“Move your ass, _now_.”

Hit friends left him alone to change, Bruce sighed loudly and did as he was told.

 

xxx

 

“Any better, Banner?” Thor asked worriedly his friend.

“Yes, thank you.”

“What happened? Bruce?” Natasha was drying her hair with a towel as she spoke.

“Nothing, please don’t worry.”

“Tell us, we want to help.” Steve added.

“You can’t. Just, let it be.”

Natasha and Steve looked at eachother puzzled.

“Let the poor guy get his coffee before asking him anything, he’s very grumpy without caffeine.” Tony said.

He was joking, but not really, and Bruce knew his friend knew him very well.

He even managed to smile at him.

They had such a beautiful understanding of each other, they were truly friends.

“Pepper your boyfriend has a boyfriend.” Natasha called out jokingly.

Everyone laughed, even Thor.

Bruce didn’t know why, but it hurt him, that Thor didn’t care.

_I better stop._   
_Friend, friend, friend._

Bruce was just too smart not to know what was happening to him, but he sure hoped his intelligence would actually stop him before it was too late.

“Bruce?” Steve snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Sorry, I am fine.”

“Glad to hear that. Stark, any word from Fury?”

As Steve asked someone was calling the Avengers tower.

“Speaking of the devil.” Natasha laughed.

“Fury.”

“Captain. Avengers.”

“What’s this oh so important mission, Fury?” Tony asked.

“We found an open vibranium site in Italy, near Naples.”

“Pizza party.” Tony said.

“Anyway,” Fury sighed, “I need you to be alert, be careful, we don’t know if the local mafia has its hands on it.”

“So we’re going to fight old italian men with bad english accents?” Tony asked and Steve glared at him.

“Oh captain, did you understand that reference.” 

“Stark-”

“Quit it dickheads, please Director Fury go ahead, ignore the kids.”

“Thank you Agent Romanoff. As I was saying, don’t underestimate italian mafia, trust me on that one.”

The Avengers looked at each other.

“Wasn’t Vibranium only found in Wakanda?”

“Apparently not. We are not sure, it might also be due to a illegal trade. I will update you along the way.”

_Something is not right._

“You should leave by tonight, prepare yourselves and stay close to each other. Try to blend in with the Naples lifestyle and night life. If anyone asks you, you’re turists. You’ll settle down for the first few days, I will update you. Oh and one more thing, Agent Hill will be joining you.”

“How is pretending going to work? We’re not very disguisable.”

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine in Italy.”

With that Fury hung up and the Avengers were left confused and wondering.

“I must not be the only one believing there’s something wrong here.” Thor started.

“Definitely not. There’s something weird about all of this.” Bruce said.

“It’s Fury, what are you guys expecting?” Natasha added.

“Avengers, suspicious or not, we have to do this. It’s our duty.” Steve announced.

Everyone nodded and looked at each other.

“Fine, but I won’t be happy about it.” Tony said.

“Who’s gonna sit next to this one on the jet?” Natasha laughed.

“Not me.” Thor suddenly replied.

“Rude. I wouldn’t want your alien ass next to me anyway. Go sit next to green head.”

No one found it funny except of Bruce who laughed out loud.

“What? I find it very amusing. I don’t get offended easily, if I did Stark would have one or two teeth missing.”

“Thank you, angry nerd.”

Bruce chuckled and playfully shook his head.

 

xxx

When it came the time to leave, Thor did sit down next to Bruce and they shared an understanding look.

“So no one is going to sit next to me? Nat?”

“Forget it, Stark. I’ll sit next to Agent Hill.”

“Ouch, well, I’ll sit next to Jarvis then.”

“You forgot someone.” Nat told him.

“Rogers? Not happening.”

“I am offended, I would have let you sit next to me.”

“Fine then, since you’re pratically begging me, perhaps I will.”

Bruce found the scene delightful.  
He knew Tony was joking, mostly at least, and the Captain seemed to enjoy their banter as well, he turned to see Thor, who looked actually kind of confused.

“Thor.”

“Hm?”

“They’re joking, Stark is being sarcastic.”

“Oh, well, yeah, no, I knew.”

Bruce smiled at him, “Of course.”

Bruce’s eyes shot admiration and affection for the Asgardian, it warmed Thor’s heart, who was not that oblivious to his friend’s eyes.

At least not as oblivious as his friend was to his own eyes.


End file.
